Safety filing system



W. A.' RINGLER.

SAFETY FILING SYSTEM.

"APPLICATION HLED NOV. 19, I918' PatehtedMar. 9, 1920.

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UNITED sv lPahTEQ Eiid fl? tlFEltllll.

'WILLIAM A. RINGLER, OF NEW YQRK, N. Y;

SAFETY FILING SYSTEM.

pe ification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9., 192i);

Application filed amine is, 1918. Serial no. 263,152.

, scription.

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My invention relates to filing systems in which the component elements are ar ranged in. such a manner that the position of anyone of them may be quickly ascer tained. In order that such systems may be elements and to render such misfiling, when it has occurred instantly apparent, is one of the principal objects of my invention.

While I am aware that numerous filing or so-called safety card index systems are known, none of them provides positive means for guarding against the mishling of an element, and this is principally due to the factthat the notches of adjacent groups are offset or displaced. Because of this off setting of the notches of the adjacent groups it frequently happens that one of the cards is filed in such position as to be covered by the preceding card and hence not discoverable. In order to obviate this difliculty I have so located the notches of the adjacent groups that a continuous channel or groove is provided, the entire length of'which is readily viewable and the in correct filing of an element quickly ascertainable.

In addition to the checks, above indicated, which guard against the misliling of an element in an incorrect position in a given'drawer, I have also provided means for guarding against the misfiling of an element in the Wrong drawer. This featureisof considerable importance since the elements of most filing systems are, for the sake of convenience, distributed through more than one drawer or receptacle.

While I have exemplified a system for filing cards, it is to be'understood that my invention is equally applicable toll-lgattergfilmg systems, and similar systems, by providing the files or folders which contain the correspondence with indicating means similar to those provided for the cards of the system herein disclosed.

fica tion and forn'iing part thereof exenr phfy 0116:101111 and einbodm'ient of my invention, 1n WlllCll- I Figure 1 shows a perspective View of some of the assembled elements comprising my system Fig.2 shows a front elevation of Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 shows a'front elevation of one of the ledger cards; and

Fig. l shows a front elevation of some of theelements of my system with some of the elements in modified position to facilitate posting.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen from an examination of Fig. 1. that the elements comprising my-system are divided by ap nopriutc cuts or notches into groups and. sub-groups. The largest group which T.- will designate hereafter for purpose of convenience a section is indicated by A. This sectlon is composed of as many elements as is desired and which will hereinafter be more fully explained. All of the elements of each section have one upper corner cut or biased and when in registry provide a smooth loevoled edge for all of the elen'ients compris ing each section as shown. The beveled edges of adjacent sections are oppositely disposed to guard against misfiling of an elenent in the wrong section. Each section A is divided into a plurality of 'sub'groups ll, which I will term major groups, each of which groups is provided with openings or notches 13, the notches of each major group B registering with each other while the notches of the adjacent groups overlap, so as t provide a substantially continuous and readily viei 'able channel, which renders mifiling: of an element in the wrong major groupreadily apparent. Each major group B is further divided into smaller sub-groups C, (2'. 6., containing a lesser number of elements) and having openings or notches 14: similar to those provided for the major groups B. I will. for the sake offcon'ven- .60 The drawings accompanying this speciienc; designate the group C as a minor group. Each of the major groups Bend the minor groups C has. associated therewith a "cooperating index card 1 0-1o'cated in front Each card 10 has a beveled corner 12, for

controlling the filing-of elements in section A, notch 13 for controlling the filing of elements in section B a'ndniotch 14 for controlling the filing of elements in the sections 0. The ledger card 15 shown in Fig. 3 is provided with a biased corner 10 and notches 1? and 18- corresponding to and cooperating respectively with the biased corner 12 and notches 13 and 11 of the index card 10. It will be understood that any convenient number of ledger cards are associated with each index card. and the section A and groups B and C may comprise any convenient number of elements. The indicating notch 17 or 13 is provided for each of the ledger cards and the index card forming a. major group B, the notches in the elements of each group B registering and forming a smooth groove, as shown. The grooves formed in the elements comprising adjacent major groups are so positioned that the grooves partly over lap so as to form a continuous channel of all the grooves comprising a section A.

The elements comprisinge ach of the secondary sub-groups C into which the previously mentioned major group B is divided, have safety notches 18 cooperating with safety notches 11 of index card 10, and so arranged that the notches comprising each adjacent group C are eccentric to each other so as to provide a continuous channel for the grooves of the groups C which form a major group B. Suitable scales as'D and E may be provided for conveniently indicating the pro-per position for the notches.

Each of the cards adapted to be placed in a given cabinet or drawer is provided with one or more guide openings 1.) in the bottom thereof, all of which register with and are adapted to engage oneor more guide rods 20, which extend longitudinally of the assembled cards. The proper position of the. notches 19 may be indicated by suitable scales as F and G on the lower edge of. each. In the drawings, the scalesh and G are shown as indicating seven positions, the rod on the-right being shown in the illustrated example in the first position while the rod on the left is shown in the third position and hence a card having lower notches corresponding to these positions can only be filed in the drawer having the rods in a corresponding position. Manifestly various permutations-and. cpmbinations may be made by suitably locating the rods of different drawers in different positions and the number of rods may be increased whereby the number of possible combinations may also be increased. Each ledger card is further provided with a secondary notch 2-1 at its lower edge in additionto the notches 10 above described. This secondary notch 21 provides a convenient means for retaining the ledger cards in such position that one end may project beyond the assembled. cards for posting purposes, as shown in Fig. 4.

Thus if an entry has been made on one of the ledger cards, the card may be moved to such a position that the notch 21 engages one of the rods 20, thereby causing that particular card to project beyond the ed 'es of the remaining cards. As it is customary each evening to post the entries made on the individual ledger cards, these ledger cards may thus be quickly picked out. The notch 21 of the ledger card, illustrated in Fig. 3, is designed to be used in cases where but one guide rod '20 is used, although by providing additional notches as 21, it can be adapted for use with more than one rod.

Manifestly, the provision of overlapping notches for the adjacent groups B and C provides a continuous channel, as shown in Fig. 1, thus obviating the possibility ofincorrectly filing the elements by preventing a misfiled ledger card from becoming totally concealed by one of the other cards.

Each index card 10 has preferably indidi ision have their notches located in corresponding positions, and each ledger card has a number corresponding to these positions inscribed on its face. That is 3100 in the illustratedexample. The cards of the succeeding minorsection would be numbered 3101, 3102, etc. while the cards of the succeeding major group would be numbered 3110, 3111, 3112, etc.

I claim:

1. A filing system. comprising a plurality of grouped elements, having notches so disposed relatively to each other as to overlap.

2. A filing system comprising a plurality ofelements divided into groups, each group having notches, the notches of adjacent groups being so disposed relatively to each other as to overlap.

3. A filing system comprising a plurality of elements divided into groups, each group having notches, the notches of each group registering with each other and the notches of adjacent groups being so disposed relatively to each other as to overlap.

4. A safety index system comprising a plurality of elements divided into sections, major and minor roups, the elements comprising a section having beveled edges, the beveled edges of each section registering with each other, the elements comprising a major group having notches which register with each other and the elements comprising a minor group having notches which register with each other, the notches of'the successive major and minor groups being so disposed relativelyto each other that a se-- ries of continuous grooves for each series of groups is formed.

5. An element for filing systems having a beveled corner and safety notches-cut from one edge.

6. An element for filing systems having safety indicating notches cut from one edge and guide notches cut from the opposite edge.

7. An element for filing systems having a beveled corner, safety indicating notches out from one edge and guide notches cut from the opposite edge.

er; I

8. A filingisystem comprising a plurality of index cards and a plurality of ledger cards, associated with each index card, forming a group, the index card and the as sociated ledger cards havin notches which.

register with each other and a number cor responding to the position of the notches and indicating the position of the card in the'system.

" 9. A filing system comprising a plurality of index cards and plurality of ledger cards associated with each index card, the index cards and ledger cards having notches and. anumber, the nun'iber'heing determined. by the position of the notches and the position of the notches determined by the relative position of the cards in the system.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature.

WILLIAM A. ,RINGLER. 

